0. Proletariat (the Second Wave)
Specialized knowledge
Standardization
Shaping people who can perform labor efficiently in factories
Mass education system
Central planning led by a small elite
Overload in the decision-making process
1. Cognitariat (the Third Wave)
Abstract reasoning, coherent thinking
Diversity, acceleration
You can tell a factory production worker to clock in at 7 sharp and start working right away,
but you can't tell an engineer or a developer to clock in and immediately produce creative ideas.
2. What knowledge workers need
Curiosity, interest, inquiry, engagement
Performing their role amid disorder and uncertainty
The ability to deal with abstractions — symbols, images, and the like
The ability to speak logically
Perceptive ability
Teaching ability
Fast adaptability to change
The flexibility to lead an organization on their own initiative
Handling assignments well under two or more chains of command
Someone who has built experience across multiple fields and can graft an idea from one field onto another
A capable facilitator who moves between conflicting organizations, listens to each side, and gets them to understand one another
Someone who can take the initiative, who has the will to execute, and who carries creative dreams
Someone with the basics of reading, writing, and mathematical ability (calculus, trigonometry)
3. Well... for now,
it seems there aren't many organizations that actually want this kind of knowledge worker.
(Or they only want experienced knowledge workers, not beginners.)
In the name of organizational culture, structural differences, and efficient operations...
— from Revolutionary Wealth (Alvin Toffler)
